On Teaching Fairy Stories with Dr. Junius Johnson

Summary

In this engaging conversation, Dr. Junius Johnson discusses the significance of fairy stories in cultivating wonder and imagination within classical education. He emphasizes the transformative power of fantastical narratives, drawing parallels with C.S. Lewis's Narnia and the importance of teachers as guides in exploring these realms. The dialogue explores how fairy stories can enrich the curriculum, broaden literary canons, and foster a love for learning through delight and engagement. We also discuss how to choose books for your curriculum, and what question you must ask of every text before it goes on your syllabus.

Topics Covered

• The role of fairy stories in a classical curriculum
• Fairy stories and the art of seeing
• Building a culture of wonder and exploration in the classroom
• The teacher as tour guide through worlds of wonder 
• Curriculum design and choosing a book list

Today's Guest

Dr. Junius Johnson is a writer, teacher, speaker, independent scholar, and musician. He is currently the executive director of Junius Johnson Academics, through which he offers innovative classes for both children and adults based in cutting edge scholarship that aim to ignite student hearts with wonder and intellectual rigor. Junius has scholarly expertise in philosophical and historical theology, especially the Medieval period, and in Classical and Medieval literature. His constructive work focuses on beauty, imagination, and wonder, and how these are at play in the Christian and Classical intellectual traditions. He holds a BA from Oral Roberts University, a Master of Arts in Religion from Yale Divinity School, and an MA, two MPhils, and a PhD from Yale University. He is the author of 5
books, including On Teaching Fairy Stories: A Guide to Cultivating Wonder in Students. He is also a professional french horn player and founder and horn emeritus for the quintet Brass.

Chapters

• 00:00 Introduction
• 02:56 Defining Fairy Stories vs. Fairy Tales
• 04:48 Engaging Students Through Creative Expression
• 28:58 Building a Supportive Classroom Culture
• 30:45 The Power of Fantastical Literature
• 37:08 Evaluating Fairy Tales in Education
• 41:59 Connecting Classical Literature with Fantasy
• 46:12 The Role of Delight in Learning
• 47:30 Teachers as Guides in the Learning Adventure
• 50:52 Conclusion

Resources & Links

• Read On Teaching Fairy Stories: https://www.amazon.com/dp/1600514928/
• Find out more about Junius Johnson here: https://www.juniusjohnson.com/
• Hear more from Junius here: The Classical Mind podcast and the All Things Wild and Wonderful podcast
• Take courses with Junius here: Junius Johnson Academics

More from the University of Dallas:

• Classical Education Master’s Program at the University of Dallas: udallas.edu/classical-ed
• St. Ambrose Center Professional Development for Teachers and Administrators: https://k12classical.udallas.edu/

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